Community Resources

Grad student teaching children about bees at London Bug Day

Biological organisms and processes are fundamental to everything from the beauty of nature to human health and society. The Biology Department is dedicated to sharing our knowledge with the community. Members of the department give public talks, make visits to high schools and occasionally host visits from outside groups. Check out our links below for details, and contact Graeme Taylor for more information.

For Prospective Students

Biology is the science of life. In the Biology Department, we do research and teach about everything from the genes that make us human (or insect, or yeast!) to planet-wide biodiversity. Some of us are theorists, working mainly on computers, some do extensive work in the laboratory, or in the field. Our research and teaching are sometimes local, in London, and sometimes bring us to study biological systems and collaborate with other scientists across Canada and all over the world.

If you are thinking about coming to Western and want to choose a challenging, varied and exciting career path, Biology is an excellent choice. Visit our undergraduate site to learn more about our course offerings and modules and check out BUGS, the Biology Undergraduate Society.

For Science Fair Projects

You don’t need to wait for university to start doing Biology. The Faculty of Science offers many opportunities for school students – an ever changing list is here

You could also think about participating in a science fair – talk to your Biology or Science teacher for more information. Occasionally, outstanding high school students may be hosted in the Biology department as part of their science fair projects – usually through programmes like the Sanofi Biogenius Competition. If you are an enthusiastic and dedicated student looking for a mentor, you could contact Professors by email individually. It will help if you have read a little about what the Professor does, and if you have an idea of the kind of study you would like to do, and how it relates to their area of expertise.

For more science fair resources, you could check out the internet. There are many useful websites, including those run by Let’s Talk Sciencethe Canada-Wide Science Fair, the Canada-Wide Virtual Science Fair, the Library of Congress in the USA, and Science Bob. You could also ask your local librarian!

For Teachers

The Faculty of Science supports many outreach events throughout the year. Members of the department also participate in Let’s Talk Science.

The Biology department will occasionally host school visits, and many professors are willing to visit classrooms to give talks about their research. In general, this fits in best with the rhythms of the university year if it happens January to March, May to July, or September to November. We require a reasonable amount of notice (generally months) for an on-campus visit, and can’t always accommodate all requests. Please contact Graeme Taylor for further information. If you have queries about a particular field of scientific research, feel free to contact the Professor in question – you can find their contact details and websites here.

For Community Groups and the General Public

Many faculty, staff and student members of the Biology department are available to give informed, entertaining lectures about their areas of expertise to interested groups in the community in Southwestern Ontario. Areas of expertise include Conservation Biology, Climate Change, Human Genetics, Insects, Antarctica, Ecosystem Health, Hibernation, Bats and Birds, to name just a few. Contact us by email to request a speaker, or browse our list of faculty. If you have a topic in mind and don’t see it here, feel free to contact Graeme Taylor and we will see if someone might be available.

If you have a query about a biological matter, one of our world-class biologists may be able to answer it. Please email Graeme Taylor.